


Neighbors - Home for Christmas

by gr8escap



Series: Neighbors [12]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Political Animals
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Gen, Home for Christmas, M/M, Neighbors, TJ Hammond & Steve Rogers Friendship, TJ has a very good Boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 13:58:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17163251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gr8escap/pseuds/gr8escap
Summary: I started writing this for Thanksgiving 2017 but the holidays got ahead of me, I adapted it for Christmas and the same thing happened.Thank you for reading!





	Neighbors - Home for Christmas

A missed note made TJ smile. Their dynamic was different today, as Steve played a piece on the piano across the room and TJ poured the glaze over the ham. “I didn’t know you could play.”

“I can’t. See?”

TJ tossed his head in disbelief as Steve moved from the piano bench. “No, don’t stop!”

“I was just messing around. So, what do you need help with?”

“Help? You brought cookies, cakes, and even the dinner rolls.”

“Mashing potatoes? I can do that.” He watched TJ slide the roasting pan back into the oven and close the door before hip checking him.

“There’s no arguing with you, is there? Wouldn’t you rather watch the game or something? How about more carols?”

“Fine, hands off.” Steve backed up with his hands in the air. “When’s Julian coming? Is he bringing Miles?”

“Yes, Miles will be here, Jules should be here any time. I should be stressing, right?”

“No, you shouldn’t be stressing.” Steve’s voice was stern despite the smile on his face as he moved around TJ. He resumed his quest to help by getting started on peeling the potatoes. “You don’t seem the slightest bit nervous.”

“I see, so that’s your goal?” TJ teased as he worked around Steve gracefully. He filled two mugs with mulled cider and set one near Steve. “I’m surprised I’m _not_ more nervous.”

“You two have been spending a lot of time together, maybe it’s past the point of nerves. Besides, it’s not your whole family. Maybe that’s making it easier?”

“Maybe. Maybe it’ll hit like a Mack truck when everyone converges at my front door.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything. Listen, don’t psych yourself out. You cherry-picked who you wanted here, and I’m confident you’ve chosen wisely.”

“Baby steps, right?” TJ smirked over the rim of his mug. “I see I can’t keep you out of the kitchen.”

“If I’m stepping on your…”

“No, I – you’re not – it’s just that you’re always the one – I just don’t want you to think I asked you to come early for free labor.”

“The thought never crossed my mind. B’sides, how often have I put you to work?”

The knock on the door cut TJ’s laugh short. “Okay, here come the nerves.”

“What nerves? It’s just Julian,” Steve tried to reassure TJ as he wiped his fingers on a soft tea-towel with the phrase ‘ _Dear Santa, I can explain…_ ’ printed on it.

“Hush,” TJ waved Steve off as he brushed at his jeans with his free hand. “Please?”

Steve stifled a grin, and returned to setting the potatoes on the stove to boil.

TJ opened the door with a smile he hoped didn’t look frazzled. “Hey!” His surprise cut his greeting short as he saw Julian holding a large basket and Miles held a very festive paper-covered Styrofoam cone Christmas tree, tufts of crepe paper in rainbows of colors _almost_ drew his eye from the random bald-spots on one side of the paper tree. “What do we have here?”

“A centipede,” Miles grinned, holding the tree up for TJ to inspect closer.

“He means centerpiece,” Julian shrugged, “I hope you don’t mind a papercraft centerpiece.”

TJ took the basket and set it aside so he could greet Julian with a kiss. “I love it.”

“The basket just makes me feel like I’m helping,” Julian continued, shrugging out of his leather jacket while TJ crouched in front of Miles, listening to him chatter about the centerpiece. “I left the gifts in the car, maybe I can enlist help later?”

“Steve’s the muscles.” TJ teased before returning his attention to Miles, “Thank you, Miles. We’re going to put this right on the dinner table, as soon as we get you out of this coat.”

“It’s my _new_ coat!”

“I like it. Let’s put it by my not-so-new coat.” TJ unzipped the orange zipper of Miles’ blue coat. “That way, you won’t get mashed potatoes on your new coat, okay?”

“Okay! But no bibs! Right papa?”

“I guess that’s alright,” Julian sighed playfully as he took the puffy coat from TJ and hung it on the hook between his and TJ’s. “Steve, nice to see you. How can I help?”

“Good seeing you again, Julian. Ask TJ, it’s his kitchen.”

“You can let me see what’s in this basket, and then you can start setting some of these goodies up for sampling.”

“Can I play the piano?” Miles interrupted.

“Not right now,” Julian caught Miles before he could put his sticky fingers on the cover. “Right now, we wash your hands, and then you’ve gotta say ‘ _hi_ ’ to Steve.”

“Papa!”

“Miles.” Julian’s voice was gentle but firm. “Remember, the piano isn’t a toy. When TJ has a chance to relax and sit with you, you can practice what he showed you last time, but not until after we eat and visit.”

“I know everyone will want to hear what you’ve learned. Especially Nana.” TJ followed the duo to the door of the bathroom, leaning against the jamb while Julian helped Miles wash his hands.

“TJ? Is that Steve – what was the pirate?”

“Yes, that’s my friend Steve. He _was_ a pirate for Halloween. You remember how nice he was, right?”

“Yup. He looks different.”

“So do you,” Julian ruffled Miles’ curly, dark hair, “you’re a lot less green.”

“We washed all the green off in da tub.”

“I know that!” TJ grinned at the three-year-old. “I’ve seen you a dozen times since then.”

“I was remembering Papa.”

“You were _reminding_ me? _I_ was reminding _you_. Come on, let’s go say ‘Hi’ to Steve.”

Miles’ ordinarily quick steps slowed as they reached TJ’s kitchen. He stood looking up at Steve from behind his papa with his fists gripping the fabric of Julian’s pants leg.

Steve lowered himself to his knees in the middle of the kitchen and quietly spoke. “Hi, Miles.”

Miles’ “hi” was almost a whisper as he peeked out and ducked back behind his papa. He peered out again, with wide brown eyes and was met with an easy smile from Steve.

“It’s good to see you again. We both look different this time. You were the Hulk, right? I was the pirate you punched out.”

Miles must have been empowered by the idea that he’d punched out this big adult, because he stepped out from behind Julian’s leg. “Hulk punched you and you falled down.”

“Yup. Can we be friends now that I’m not a pirate and you’re not Hulked out?”

“We’ll see,” Miles answered in almost a whisper.

Julian laughed, “I’m afraid I’ve been saying that to him a lot lately. Let’s get your crayons out of your backpack and you can finish your placemat, okay buddy?”

“I wanna color under the piano.”

“As long as you don’t color on the piano. Remember, crayons are for paper, right?”

“Yeah, just paper.”

“But _not_ TJ’s sheet music,” Julian added as he led Miles to where his backpack rested beneath their coats. “You’re just going to color on _your_ things today, okay, Miles?”

“Okay, Papa.”

Steve and TJ traded grins as they watched the interaction. TJ poked at the cellophane that covered the elaborate basket Julian had brought and looked from Steve to Julian. “How about this? You two mess with this, and I’ll go back to cooking as planned.”

“TJ’s been trying to keep me from helping today,” Steve explained as he pulled the cellophane away from the gourmet basket. “I guess I _should_ respect his wishes –” He balled up the plastic and tossed it toward TJ, just missing his head. “– stubborn though he may be.”

“That’s why I brought the basket.”

“I can’t convince either of you to go watch the game?” TJ’s request was less than convincing. “I shouldn’t have invited either of you before everything was finished.”

“I wanna play a game!” Miles called from under the piano.

“The football game, Milo,” Julian’s correction was automatic and indulgent. “You can come watch it on TV with us if you’d like.”

“I’m still colorin’.”

TJ brushed his hand over Julian’s as he walked past the kitchen island smiling. “You can help if you want, just remember, I objected sufficiently enough to…”

“To keep us from feeling like free labor.” Steve interrupted, palming a pear, and rubbing his thumb over the skin before setting it in the bowl next to the paper tree centerpiece.

“From the looks and the smell of everything, you’ve got it under control.” Julian’s fingers swiftly stacked and positioned crackers and cheese onto a cheese plate.

“I do, thank you very much,” TJ swiped a slice of cheese from the plate. “Thank you for the offers and the help. Just having you here is enough. Now… which of you wants to call the others and tell them we’re not here?”

“‘We’re sorry, we decided to lock the doors, you can have what’s in the basket.’”

“Something like that,” TJ laughed, from the kitchen. “Nana’d take Sam out for a picnic and not give a shit. ‘Good, now we can get something to drink.’”

Steve continued unloading the basket, grinning. “You know, Sam would go for it.”

“Okay, then what are we waiting for?”

“Come on, TJ. I’m gonna meet your family sometime. You said this was just your grandmother, there must be a reason you chose to start with her.”

“Yeah, Mom and Dougie are overseas and Dad’s in California. I got lucky, but it’s just a reprieve. I’m afraid we can’t avoid a _Family Christmas_ once they’re all back home.”

“Well, then, let’s suck it up and enjoy the reprieve.”

“Margaret’s cool,” Steve felt compelled to reassure Julian. One look from TJ made him backpedal a little, Margaret Barrish _was_ cool, but she should have a warning sticker. “That’s not saying she won’t be a little critical.”

TJ made a choking sound before squaring his shoulders and trying to put on a straight face. “A _little_ critical? You haven’t been on the receiving end of her barbed tongue. She’s a bigger momma bear than Momma is. Just because she likes _you_ , doesn’t mean she has any faith in _my_ track record.”

“Should I be offended?” Julian looked at Steve with a raised dark brow, his face alight with humor. “I think I should be offended.”

TJ turned away from the playful teasing, hiding a grin as he checked his list. “I’m not helping. Worst case? She warns you away from me for your own sake.”

“Can it be any worse than when you did? I didn’t think so.”

“I just needed you to know I come with baggage.” TJ waved the hot-pot holder.

“In case I can’t read?” Julian countered. “Listen, I’m the one who should be nervous. I’m not. I’m not nervous about any of your family, even though I can understand why you would be. If they don’t like me, we’ll just move to Alaska and not have to put up with them too often.”

“Can I get a polar bear?” Miles called from under the piano, causing everybody to laugh.

“You sure you don’t want a brown bear?”

“Nope, just a polar one.”

“We’re not moving to Alaska,” TJ decided. “At least take me somewhere warm.”

“TJ, did you know Daddy went fishing at Alaska?”

“Is that where he caught you?”

“No. I’m not a fish. I’m a kid,” Miles replied as he continued coloring the Santa on his placemat.

“I thought you were the biggest fish he caught. I’m misinformed.”

“Very.” Miles’s stoic tone was enough to reduce the adults to stifled giggles.

“Maggie’s gonna love that one,” Steve decided.

“That’s why he’s here.” Both Julian and TJ answered simultaneously.

Steve looked up from the cheese plate he was still fiddling with. “You two are downright scary.”

TJ grinned first at Steve and then at Julian. “What can I say? We came up with pros and cons before deciding on this, and – well – the kid’s a charmer.”

Julian picked up the remote, turning the television on. He poked through TJ’s DVR list and put the Christmas Parade on in the background. TJ watched Miles inch out from under the piano so that he could see, keeping his lower half still in the protected zone. He could remember doing similarly when he was trying to hide from the unknown. He wouldn’t force Miles out from under his cover, that had never worked well for him at that age. “Can you see the parade okay, Miles?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Okay.” TJ ‘s answer was indulgent, and he was struck by how he seemed to be picking up such things from Julian. When TJ looked up, he saw both Julian and Steve smiling at him. “What? I’m trying to be a good host.”

“You’re doing fine,” Julian dared to breach the kitchen area they’d been banned from, under the guise of putting the rest of the cheeses into the fridge. “And what can I do to make my good host’s job easier? Is this cider for anyone?”

“Oh god, I’m sorry. Yes –” a flustered TJ hurried to wash his hands.

“Stop worrying. I’m capable. The mugs are here, right?” Julian opened the correct cupboard door. “Refill for anyone?”

“Mine can use a reheat,” Steve nodded, standing in the middle of the room, gaze fixed on the television.

Julian took the opportunity the television offered, to place a hand on the small of TJ’s back as he reached past him for the ladle. He nudged his nose over the exposed line of TJ’s neck before pressing a kiss just beneath his ear.

TJ smiled despite all attempts not to. With Julian pouring hot liquid and TJ monitoring the compote on the burner next to that, he couldn’t reciprocate. He _could_ – however – unabashedly ogle Julian over his shoulder for the seconds it took for Julian to fill the mugs. Julian’s dark hair brushed his shoulder in waves and a stray curl fell over his red cashmere sweater. The ‘Tony Stark’ facial hair that had lingered since Halloween was finally gone, to TJ’s delight. “You shaved.”

“You noticed?” Julian’s smirk wavered as he struggled to keep it from spreading into a cheesy grin.

“Just barely; what does that say about me?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Either you loved it after all, or you just don’t mind my face no matter what.”

“The latter. Definitely.” TJ watched over his shoulder as Julian backed away from the kitchen, turning to hand Steve his mug. He returned his attention to his stovetop activities, inhaling the sweet, spicy fragrances as the sounds of the holiday parade faded behind jovial conversation between Julian and Steve, peppered by random additions from beneath the piano.

When TJ turned from the stove to pour the compote into a serving dish, he saw Steve on the floor coloring with Miles. Julian sat nearby, also on the floor, tapping his toes in his festive Christmas socks. He watched the scene from the center of the kitchen, for the first time in a very long time _not_ feeling like he was on the outside, looking in. He started whistling along to the carol being played by the marching band on the TV, wavering when he caught Julian watching him. For TJ, the piano was easier, he could get lost in it, but vocalizing was like sharing _too much_ of himself. He pushed the feeling aside and caught up to the song when Julian started singing along and grinning.

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this for Thanksgiving 2017 but the holidays got ahead of me, I adapted it for Christmas and the same thing happened.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
